The Lotus Program

The Lotus Program is structured according to the two stages in learning a second language in primary grades – listening and talking followed by reading and writing.

Listening and Talking: English as a Second Language (ESL) and Computer Literacy for Grades 1 and 2 in Sri Lanka

Working with education software

In selected rural districts of Sri Lanka PIMD has been working since 2004 with local stakeholders to implement a program for teaching computer literacy and English as a second language to children in grades 1 and 2 in village primary schools. The program provides training for local teachers as well as a complete curriculum with lesson plans. Each participating school (60 in total) has also been supplied with computers and educational software to complement the curriculum.

This software has been donated specifically for the pilot project by Microsoft, Vivendi Universal, Eurotalk International, Advanced Software, Riverdeep, IBM and Mayer-Johnson. PIMD has also supplied the pilot schools with 2 computers each as part of the program. These computers were donated by the Alaveddy School Old Boys Association, the Brittania Hindu Shiva Temple Trust, and acquired by PIMD from World Computer Exchange, as well as corporate donors in Australia and refurbished by WorkVentures Australia.

Reading and Writing: ESL and Computer Literacy for Grades 3-5 in Sri Lanka

Building on the success of our Grade 1 and 2 program for ESL and computer literacy which focused of listening and talking to develop functional English skills, PIMD is now working with the Provincial Departments of Education to pilot a new program for Grades 3-5 which develops English literacy and overall English competency through a focus on reading and writing. This new program, which will run from 2011-2014, will also integrate technology to support the ESL component, exploiting mobile communications and hand-held devices to facilitate PIMD-teacher, teacher-teacher, and teacher-student interaction.

The PIMD programs are unique in their focus on grade 1-5 children and the integration of technology with ESL.